Greater New Orleans

Son retrieves father's World War II medals

Now almost 90 years old, Joseph Reich doesn’t remember the names of the battles he fought and towns he went through during World War II. But he does remember the snow that fell on the front line, and he remembers being lucky that he made it through some battles. He remembers visiting his sister Anna, who was a nun with the Little Sisters of the Poor, at her convent in Switerland, as well as seeing the elaborate elevator in Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, after the war ended.

Reich earned five medals, as well as a presidential unit citation, during his more than two years of service in WWII, but he never received them - not until his son, Air Force Col. (Ret.) Joseph Reich Jr., researched his father’s service and obtained them.

Reich Sr., a resident of The Village in the Oaks retirement community near Covington, never really discussed his WWII experience with his family. But two years ago, Reich Jr. , who retired from the Air Force in 2002, started researching his father’s service after fielding questions from his JROTC cadets at St. Paul’s School.

“My research lead to eventually finding out where he was (during the war), and discovering that he had received the Bronze Star,” said Reich Jr., who now teaches JROTC at Destrehan High School.

In addition, Reich Sr. also earned the Good Conduct Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the European Theater Medal with two campaign stars, and the German Occupation Medal.

Reich Sr., whose parents were born in the Austrian Empire, was born in Passaic, N.J. He entered military service in 1942 and arrived in Italy in September 1944.

He served as a private in an infantry unit -- Co. G, 2nd Battalion, 143rd Regimental Combat Team in the 36th Infantry Division, according to Reich Jr.’s research. The division historically was part of the Texas National Guard.

Reich participated in combat in eastern France, as well as in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns. He saw 110 straight days of combat, according to Reich Jr.’s research.

“Sometimes you still think of the battles you were in, when they were shooting at you,” Reich said. “One time I can recall we tried to take a hill. We got three-quarters up the hill, and the Germans were well entrenched. And then they opened up. All I can remember is it was bad.”

Reich’s unit retreated down the hill, and he said he was lucky to have made it down unhurt.

He also fought in the battle of the Lost Battalion in the Vosges Mountains in France. This week marks the 67th anniversary of the contentious battle.

The Lost Battalion refers to the 1st Battalion, 141st Combat Team in the 36th Infantry Division. On their way to try to capture a town, the unit became surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains in late October 1944, according to the PBS website program, “The War.”

For five days of battle in densely wooded areas and in heavy fog, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team - a unit composed of mostly Japanese Americans from internment camps - tried to rescue the battalion’s 275 lost men. A third attempt was successful, although the 442nd suffered great casualties. Reich’s unit aided the 442nd, according to Reich Jr.

“We were supposed to break the German lines, and we couldn’t. That when the Japanese (Americans) came in,” Reich said.

Because Reich spoke German, he served as an interpreter for three months after he was pulled off the front line around Christmas 1944. When he returned to the United States, he separated from service in January 1946 at Fort Monmouth, N.J.

He got engaged to his wife, Helen Guelli, in 1947. They had three children - Patricia, Joseph and William.

Reich Jr. said applying for his father’s medals was just a small part of the research he’s done. More importantly, it’s lead to a greater understanding of his father’s experiences.

“I always saw my dad as a hero, but now I know what he went through,” he said.